Tingling and Numbness
Numbness and tingling are abnormal sensations that can occur anywhere in your body, but are often felt in your fingers, hands, feet, arms, or legs.
Possible causes of numbness and tingling sensations:
There are a variety of possible causes for numbness and tingling in your extremities. If the sensations persist or happen frequently, you should see a doctor to have the underlying cause identified and treated appropriately.
Examples of causes include:
- Remaining in the same seated or standing position for a long time
- Injury to a nerve — for example, a neck injury may cause you to feel numbness anywhere along your arm or hand, while a low back injury can cause numbness or tingling down the back of your leg
- Pressure on the spinal nerves, such as from a herniated disk
- Lack of blood supply to an area — for example, plaque buildup from atherosclerosis in the legs can cause pain, numbness, and tingling while walking (this is called vascular claudication)
- Carpal tunnel syndrome
- Cubital tunnel syndrome
- Diabetes
- Underactive thyroid
- Abnormal levels of calcium, potassium, or sodium in your body
- A lack of vitamin B12 or other vitamin
- Certain medications
If you are experiencing numbness or tingling pain that radiates down one or both legs and/or if you have a sudden change in bowel or bladder habits, especially the inability to urinate, contact an orthopaedic surgeon immediately. This could be a symptom of a serious condition called “Cauda Equina Syndrome.”
This is a rare disorder affecting the bundle of nerve roots at the lower (lumbar) end of the spinal chord and is a surgical emergency.
